“Sorry I’m late. We had a call that came in a few minutes before I planned to relieve Officer Hanes during my lunch.”
“Don’t you worry about a thing, son. Jennie’s doing fine. She’s a tough cookie, that one.” Miss Emily rested her hand on David’s shoulder and placed his plate on the table.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“You are so very welcome.” Miss Emily lowered herself onto a kitchen chair.
The two sat and chatted, sharing family stories. When he finished his meal, the tension in his muscles had released. Miss Emily had a way of easing a person’s stress.
He helped with the dishes and meandered into the living room. He still had thirty minutes.
“Hey there, stranger.” A raspy voice entered behind him.
He shifted and gazed at Jennie. Her color had returned, and her eyes were brighter than this morning. She was definitely on the mend. “Hey back. You’re looking better.”
“I’m feeling better.” She joined him on the couch. “You on the other hand look like you lost your teddy bear.”
He chuckled. “Leave it to you to notice.”
“Well?” She twisted. Tucking her ankle under her knee, she draped her arm on the back of the sofa and winced. “What has my bodyguard all twisted in knots?”
Did he dare ask? He wanted to confirm his beliefs about battered women, but did he dare ask?
“I’m not sure you’ll want to hear it.” He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
She squinted and studied him. “One of two things. Either you rescued or recovered a child this morning, or it has something to do with domestic violence.”
His jaw dropped. How did she read him so easily? “How did you know that?”
“Easy.” She rubbed the crease in his brow. “Only those two things put that line right here. Everything else, you seem to roll with the punches. Pun not intended.”
He ran his hand over his face. “An abused woman screamed at me to let her abusive husband go. Pleaded with us not to arrest him.”
“I understand that.”
“I don’t want to bring up bad memories for you.”
“But you want to know why.” It was a statement, not a question.
He nodded. “It’s just that I’m confused. The women always tell us after things settle down that the husband hadn’t meant to hurt them. But I don’t get how they can go back to the abuse time and time again.” He hoped he hadn’t upset her, but he really did want to understand.
She exhaled. “It’s not always about that the woman believing her husband or boyfriend won’t do it again. It’s more about dependence.”
He shifted to face her. “Explain.”
“He might be her only source of income. If he’s in jail, where will she buy food for herself or her children? And then it might come down to being afraid to be alone.”
He clasped her hand and squeezed. “Is that the way it was for you?”
“Kinda.” She stared at the floor.
David waited. He’d ask her to delve into the darkness of her past, he wouldn’t rush her to finish her thoughts.
She shook her head. “For me…it was conditioning.”
David tilted his head. What did that mean?
“Everything started in a wonderful way. My husband’s friend, helping me out and giving me the support I needed. Then over time, he gaslighted me. I started thinking I was worthless and couldn’t fend for myself. By the time he started the physical abuse, I believed I deserved it.”
